Aruba holidays

Holidays to Aruba might offer up all the Caribbean stereotypes, but this Dutch isle has a personality all of its own.

Caribbean scenery

Aruba floats in the southern Caribbean Sea, some 18 miles off the coast of Venezuela. It's got all the qualities a Caribbean island should have – white sands, swaying palm trees and bath-warm waters. The best swathe of coast is the 11-kilometre stretch that connects Palm Beach and Eagle Beach on the island’s western side. It was featured in TripAdvisor's' Travellers' Choice top 10 best beaches in the world in 2021.

Kingdom of the Netherlands

Aruba is actually part of a trio of islands known as the ABCs – Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao – and, together with Holland, they make up the Kingdom of the Netherlands. As such, there’s a Dutch influence on the island. De Olde Mollen in Palm Beach is a bona-fide Dutch windmill, which was shipped over from Holland in the Sixties. And the capital, Oranjestad, is crammed with Dutch-style colonial buildings.

American influence

Dutch isn’t the only culture that’s shaped Aruba. There’s a strong American influence, as well. A lot of the restaurants in Oranjestad and Palm Beach serve USA-style food like Tex-Mex, Buffalo wings and ribs. The capital's got its fair share of American fast food joints, too, and they rub shoulders with casinos and jewellery stores. Plus, newspapers like Aruba Today focus on American current affairs.

Beach resorts

Over in Palm Beach, one of the island’s most popular coastal resorts, high-rise hotels and swish casinos line the sands. At the other end of the spectrum, Eagle Beach is Aruba on a go-slow – think thatched beach hangouts serving up pina coladas. The latter gets loads of praise for its sugary sand and turquoise water, too. In fact, Condé Nast Traveller called it one of the world’s top beaches.

Departure tax now included

For holidays starting on or after 1st May 2019, you’ll no longer need to set aside any spending money for departure tax, as we’re including it within the cost of your holiday.

Popular hotels in Aruba

Top things to see and do in Aruba

Beaches

Aruba’s big appeal

Lots of people come to Aruba solely for the beaches. After all, textbook Caribbean white sands and azure waters are par for the course here. The best bit is, all the beaches are public, so you get an access-all-areas pass. One word you’ll learn by heart by the end of your holiday is ‘palapas’ – these thatched parasols are the trademarks of the island’s biggest beaches.

The big beach

When it comes to popularity, Palm Beach comes out on top. This slice of white sand is hugged by luxury hotels, seafood restaurants and beach bars, so it’s got a great atmosphere. Locals often head here for the day, too, so there’s a good mix of visitors.

The secret beach

You won’t find sunbeds or parasols on Arashi Beach, let alone beach bars or restaurants. And, thanks to its complete lack of facilities, this ribbon of sand on the northern coast tends to be left well alone. It’s easy to get to, as well – less than a 10-minute drive from Palm Beach.

Shopping

Bargain buys

There’s plenty of shoestring shopping to be had in Aruba. Head to the Port of Call Market Place opposite Oranjestad’s main bus station to browse stalls full of wind chimes, souvenir t-shirts, beach bags and hand-made jewellery. You’ll find a similar selection of items in the stalls on Palm Beach Road, near the Hard Rock Café.

Mid-range buys

The shops on Caya G F Betico Croes in Oranjestad bridge the gap between budget-busting and cheap-as-chips. You’ll find high street fashion stores, like Mango, here. In Palm Beach there are some reasonably-priced gift shops around The Village Mall. On the shelves, you’ll find picture frames, statement wine bottle holders and candle sticks. The Divi district in Eagle Beach, meanwhile, boasts a couple of good beachwear stores.

Designer buys

If you’re splashing out, head for the Renaissance Mall in Oranjestad. This glossy complex is packed with big names like Ralph Lauren, Cartier and Louis Vuitton, as well as expensive jewellery shops where earrings and pearls ring through the tills at thousands of dollars. Paseo Harencia Mall in Palm Beach offers a similar calibre of jewellery shop, including a Pandora store.

Nightlife

Laid-back evenings

Mother nature provides the entertainment on Palm Beach, in the form of a sunset. The beach bars on De Palm Pier and Pelican Pier offer front-row seats to dusk. Later, some of the hotels on Palm Beach set up restaurants on the sand, to offer barefoot dining experiences. You don’t have to be a hotel guest to book a table, either. If you’d rather watch a movie than the sun, there’s a decent-sized English-language cinema in the Renaissance Shopping Centre in Oranjestad, which shows all the latest Hollywood blockbusters.

Lively evenings

Downtown Oranjestad is great for sundown dancing – you’ll find everything from salsa dens to merengue bars lining the streets. Then there’s the Renaissance Hotel, which boasts Aruba’s only 24-hour casino, the Crystal Casino, as well as a swanky show lounge where feather headdresses and sequins collide in Moulin Rouge-style performances. For a no-holds-barred night out, hop on Palm Beach’s party bus. It’ll pick you up from your hotel and take your bar hopping. Shots are usually included in the ticket price.

Food & drink

Seafood

Seafood is served up left, right and centre in Aruba. Coconut shrimp is a regular on menus. It’s made by dipping king prawns in coconut batter before frying. Mahi mahi and red snapper are also familiar faces. Top billing, however, goes to the lobster dishes. Take your pick from broiled tails, thermidor or steamed live-lobster.

Steak

Thanks to Aruba’s proximity to South America, good steaks are easy to come by in Aruba. Argentine fillet mignon is served up with a sauce or alongside juicy shrimp as part of a surf and turf. Palm Beach is also the proud parent of some churrascaria-style restaurants, where fillet mignon plays second fiddle to other skewers of flame-grilled meat, like Brazilian sausages, lamb and the top sirloin dish, picanha.

Aruban bouillabaisse

Aruba’s version of French bouillabaisse consists of fish fillets, salted beef and juicy prawns, which are all seasoned with lashings of basil to make a warming stew. It’s ladled out at local celebrations, and is best served with thick slices of bread.

Ribs, wings and pulled pork

Because Aruba attracts a lot of American holidaymakers, you’ll find a lot of USA-style restaurants. These joints specialise in dishes like original-recipe baby back ribs, Buffallo chicken wings, and barbecue pulled pork. A lot of them have all-you-can eat theme nights, too.

Ponche crema

You can’t leave the island without ordering an ice-cold glass of ponche crema. Made from egg yolk, nutmeg and rum, this smooth, creamy cocktail is a staple at local celebrations. It’s surprisingly refreshing, so it’s great on a hot day.

Average Weather in Aruba

Facts about Aruba

Capital
Oranjestad
Currency
Aruban Guilder
(AWG)
Population
107,488
Language
Dutch and Papiamento
Time zone
GMT -4
Flight duration
9 hours 35 minutes from Gatwick

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